Words From Yukon is a monthly feature of the Yukon Jack Outfitters web site. Yukon Jack is a full-time fishing and hunting and guide in Eagle River, Wisconsin, and will use these articles to share some of his experiences with you!
ICE FISHING CAN BE FUN AND INEXPENSIVE by Yukon Jack
The winter season probably is the time of the year when families spend a great deal of time together in the outdoors. One of the activities that are inexpensive for basis equipment draws families to ice fishing. Throughout the winter season families can be observed participating in activities on the ice. When the fishing is good everyone is diligently trying to catch panfish or the game fish and when the action slows the kids and sometimes the parents will occupy their time doing other things.
Other activities
Ice-skating, broom hockey, football, tag, and building snowmen on warm days are just some of the things to do during slow fishing times. Outdoor cooking is also something that many ice fishermen do and it seems that the food cooked outdoors tastes much better than if cooked on a stove at home. I can also assure you that food cooked on a grill or over an open fire is by far tastier than a cold sandwich.
Clothes and equipment
Perhaps the most important piece of clothing equipment is footwear. Make sure that if you intend to spend any amount of time in the outdoors that you purchase the best boots money can buy. When your feet are cold you are cold all over. Look for boots that are rated for one hundred below temperatures especially if you will be standing for long periods. There are many high-tech long underwear garments that will hold heat near the body. Dress in layers and use a wind resistant outer jacket for the final cover. For extremely cold days I have a seventy-below down coat that is large enough to cover all the clothing layers and myself. Keep in mind that you need to be warm but never permit yourself to start to perspire. Once you start to sweat you will be cold the rest of the day unless you keep walking.
Tips to stay warm
Keeping your clothing, your body and your boots dry will keep you warm even in the coldest weather. If you experience any cold parts of your body analyze to see if the cold area is next to wet or damp clothing. At the end of the day make sure that all clothing is thoroughly dry and the boots and liners are dry.
I highly recommend a boot dryer and no matter how short of time the boots are worn they need to go on the boot dryer. It is also extremely important to make sure the boot liners are bone dry. With one hundred below boots if your feet are cold or even cool it is because the boots and liners are damp and was not well dried. Another tip is to take a bath or shower before your outing and wear clean clothes that are next to the skin. The slight moisture layer on the skin that forms eight to twelve hours after bathing aids to bringing coolness much sooner.
Fishing equipment
Ice fishing is an inexpensive sport to start doing. An ice chisel, ice dipper, short jig rod or tip-ups and basically you are set to catch fish. I must admit that for those that are serious about the sport a great deal of money can be spent on ice fishing equipment, just ask Mrs. Yukon. There are power ice drills, shelters, heaters, locators and many different high tech rods, line, and tip-ups which helps catch fish and adds up in dollars very quickly. Any sport shop will advise you on what equipment to buy and will show you how to rig the equipment. Sport shops also sell pre-rigged tip-ups and jig rods that are ready to catch fish. Most jig rids are equipped with either float bobbers or spring bobbers. The float bobber is just that, it is set on the line with the hook and bait just off the bottom and when the fish takes the bait the bobber goes under water and you set the hook. The spring bobber is attached to the rod and is much more sensitive. The line goes through the line guides on the rod and through the spring bobber at the rod tip. When a fish just touches the hook and bait the spring bobber moves to the rod tip and you set the hook. For panfishing the jig rod is the preferred equipment. Rods rigged with two or four pound test line and one of the ice jigs or spoons that has a hook size of ten to fourteen. Bait for panfish can be artificial but for new anglers to the sport I would recommend some sort of live bait. Small crappie minnows work for crappies and perch. Grubs such as wax worms, spikes, mouses, and golden rod grubs or garden worms work well. Tip-ups can also be purchased from the local sport shops and they can also be purchased pre-rigged. To the new ice fisherman they may look complicated to use but a two-minute instruction at the sport shop will have you using them like an expert. Tip-ups are set with the hook near the bottom for walleyes and a foot to eighteen inches off the bottom for northern. Use the fathead minnows with a number six hook and just enough weight to hold the minnow on the bottom for walleye. I thread the line through a button, which slides up and down the line. This is slid up to the spool to mark my depth so when a fish runs line off the spool I do not lose my depth. For northern I use a number two or four hook and a little larger weight because I use larger minnows, medium or large golden shiners will do the trick. Keep in mind that northern are a very toothy creature and with their rows of teeth they will bite off monofiliment line. Therefore it is necessary to use a leader between the line and the hook. Sport shops sell pre-rigged northern leaders.
Where to find the fish
When I go ice fishing I usually go to lakes that offer panfish and northern. This will provide action during most of the day. With the three-line limit I set out two tip-ups and fish with a jig rod for panfish. This type of fishing I do during the entire daylight period. When I pursue walleyes I am on the ice before daylight and fish until about nine in the morning and I go back out at about three in the afternoon and fish until seven to nine in the evening. Some of the area lakes that offer fishing action for perch, bluegills, and crappies are Pickerel, Eagle-Three Lakes Chain, LacVieux Desert, Kentuck, Black Oak, Deerskin and Silver Lakes. Northern action can be found on LacVieux Desert, Tamarack Flowage, Butternut, Franklin, Anvil, and Lost Lakes. Walleyes can be found on the Eagle and Three Lakes Chain, North and South Twin, Rainbow Flowage, and Little St. Germain Lakes. The information in this article is sufficient to get the novice angler started, help the new angler to the area find a lake to fis h and if this information does not help there are several guides that will provide a quality day on the ice. Your guide will take you to the best fishing lake in the area and will give you instruction on how to fish as well as do all the work. Good luck and enjoy Wisconsin's winter outdoors.
Keep a tight line,
YUKON is a fishing and hunting guide located in Eagle River, WI and can be reached at 715-479-3219
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(715)479-3219
1857 Scattering Rice Lake Road
Eagle River, Wisconsin 54521
www.yukonjackegv.com
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